GTMO Updates- Deep Water

"Deep Water on the Bay"

It has been almost a month since my "birthday adventure" article so I think it's time for an update on where I stand with deep water.  I have been afraid of going in deep water for a very long time.  I believe since my encounter with two rip currents while living in San Diego, over 20 years ago.  Yes, it's lasted that long and the more I put off jumping in the water the more afraid I become.  Because of this fear I stopped myself from becoming involved in many water activities and sports that seemed like fun and exciting to me.

I decided to change my attitude towards water and the Guantanamo Bay was going to become my friend. I am empowered, I am liberating myself from so much needless fear, I am going... SCUBA Diving! That's right, not just jumping in the deep end or going snorkeling.  Nope, going for deep.

I started taking diving lessons along with a few other girl friends and hired the best instructor in town to guide us.  So far we've done our lessons, taken quizzes, went diving in the local pool at a depth of 10 feet...woohoo! I'm on a roll.  Well, I still have to finish my qualification program by diving four separate times in REAL DEEP WATER - up to 40 feet.  OUCH!  I was am a little nervous about that but it's something I have to finish.

My confidence was coming back strong, that is until we went in the water a couple of weeks ago and realized that the water was murky, the current was strong and apparently I float more then most (it's not fat if that's what  you're thinking, maybe my voluptuous boobs, ha!).  Anyway, we (my friends, instructor and I) decided this was not going to be a very good day for diving or at least not instructional diving so we came back out of the water and went kayaking in the shallow side of the bay instead.

That same day we learned of an accident, totally unrelated to diving or recreational snorkeling, that took place in a different, more dangerous beach.  The accident took the lives of three Marines; three of our nations heroes.  We were deeply sadden by their tragedy and decided we needed to take some time to digest what happened. Yes, we were all a little afraid to go back in the water but we had to understand that their accident happened under different circumstances and we needed to be more vigilant of the conditions in the water and basically, listen to our instincts when we didn't feel it was a very good diving, snorkeling or swimming day.

This coming weekend we will attempt to do our first two dives again.  Our instructor is competent, has many years of experience and many dives in his logbook so we trust him and feel confident he wouldn't take us down if he didn't feel it was safe.

Aside from the diving portions of my "get over the fear" plan I recently passed both my written and driving test to get my Captain's license.  I can now drive "command" a boat and I can try to dock or just have my friends pull it in as soon as I get close to the dock.  I'm really excited about that, although, I do get a little nervous when the boat is being moved my the ripples in the water.  I'll get over that.

Kayaking has been the best adventure yet.  We go on Sundays and sometimes during the week with the kids. The water is shallow and calm and in one hour we are done having fun and ready for the rest of the day.

I admit that I still get a little nervous anytime I'm in the water, although, having a life vest on helps.  Sometimes we have to just jump in feet first and face our fears head on, otherwise they will forever control the way we live our lives.

Right now, we're going to the pool for the kid's swim lessons.  I hope they  never have to experience my fears, they should be a little nervous, a little afraid and very cautious, but not terrified. Hopefully, these lessons will take care of that.